A how-to guide for legalizing potSacramento Bee - Opinion, July 25, 2015
A panel of academic, legal and law enforcement experts led by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has produced a sensible set of recommendations on how California should legalize recreational marijuana, if thats the path we choose.Unfortunately, theres no guarantee these smart policies will be built into any of the legalization initiatives possibly headed to the November 2016 ballot.A new initiative reform, ...

Supervisor wants S.F. to follow state on reforming initiativesSan Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 11, 2015
Marisa Lago, San Francisco Chronicle By Marisa Lagos Updated 5:22pm, Sunday, January 11, 2015 San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener[1] wants to take a cue from state leaders who last year approved major changes aimed at improving the states sometimes unwieldy ballot initiative process. Wiener is crafting local legislation similar to SB1253, which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown[2] in ...

NEW: CA initiative reform: Lawmakers ignore the elephant in the roomCalWatchdog, Jan. 1, 2015
January 1, 2015 - By Chris Reed The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported on initiative reforms that take effect[1] today. After more than a century in Californias political spotlight, the states initiative process will be getting a major revise next year. Even more surprising, both Democrats[2] and Republicans in the famously partisan Legislature are happy to see it happen. While ...

Black Bart Award Nominee " Jerry Brown is Riding HighFox & Hounds Daily, Dec. 16, 2014
Connecting California Columnist and Editor, Zcalo Public Square, Fellow at the Center for Social Cohesion at Arizona State University and co-author of California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It (UC Press, 2010) Yes, there were many other candidates for the 2014 Black Bart award. John Chiang won a new office and improved his chances in future Democratic contests. ...

Initiative Reform is Only the First Step for the Think Long CommitteeFox & Hounds Daily, Oct. 8, 2014
Sr. Advisor, Berggruen Institute on Governance, Think Long Committee for California Governor Brown signs SB 1253 with representatives of the initiative reform coalition. The author, Nathan Gardels, is on the far left. The passage of SB1253 by a wide bi-partisan margin in the Legislature, and its signature into law by Governor Jerry Brown, marks a milestone for Californias 100 year- ...

NEW: Initiative reform " one bridge shortCalWatchdog, Oct. 4, 2014
October 4, 2014 - By Joel Fox As someone who participated in the working group on initiative reform package that ended up as SB1253[1]by state Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, andsigned by Gov. JerryBrown last week --I can say the bill is, well, okay as far as it goes. But to invert a title used for a World War II book,A Bridge Too Far[2]--which tells the story of the Allies trying to go ...

Ben Boychuk: Initiative reform doesn’t fix the real problemSacramento Bee - Opinion, Oct. 4, 2014
Whats wrong with Californias initiative and referendum process? Plenty. Voters often have too many questions to decide mercifully, just six this November on subjects too arcane or too technical to grasp easily. Id wager that two-thirds of statewide ballot measures would be unnecessary with a responsible Legislature and a courageous governor.Instead we have the representatives we deserve and a ...

Jerry Brown signs initiative changes into lawSacramento Bee, Sept. 27, 2014
Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Saturday giving the proponents of California ballot initiatives more time to collect signatures and allowing them to withdraw their initiatives or add amendments.The legislation, Senate Bill 1253, by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, will extend to 180 days from 150 days the amount of time proponents have to circulate an ...